Railroad construction-car or track-layer



(No Model.) 2' Sheet s--Sheet 1.

G. M. WEST. RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION CAR 0R TRAUK LAYER. No. 364,325. Patent edJune 7, 1887.

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(No Model.) I 2 She'ets-Sheet 2.

' G. M. WEST.

RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION GAR OR'TRAUK LAYER.

Patented June 7, 1887'.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE MILLER VEST, OF RED OAK, TOVVA.

RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION-CAR OR TRACK-LAYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,325, dated June 7, 1887.

Application filed December 3!, 1886. Serial No. 223.073.

To-aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE MILLER WEsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Red Oak, in the county of Montgomery and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad Construction-Oars or Track-Layers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

l The invention has for its ob ect improved means for laying rails and ties in the building of railroads.

The invention will first be described in conncction with the drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective view of my invention applied; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section on the line a: w of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a vertical cross section on line y y ofFig. 2. r

In the drawings, A A represent two cartrucks, upon which is supported the frame 13, which form the ordinary flat car, which is operated by a locomotive and five or six men, not including the spikers.

G is a car-axle, to which are attached the cogwheels D.

E E are two stirrup-hangers bolted to the middle car-stringers or floor-beams, b, and provided with bearings e, in which the drivingwheels F F are journaled, so as to engage cogwheels G, journalcd to the shaft G, which carries the rag-wheels H and is journaled in boxes I) on top of the frame or floor B. The intermediate driving-wheels, F, will vary in diameter according to the distance between the floor B and the axle.

J are supports set on edge about six feet apart, and on which the ties are supported diagonally across the road, so as to keep them up slightly above the rails that may be on the car,and are so piled as to leave room for piles of the rails, the ties and rails being thus placed side by side and equally within reach of th workmen.

K are pieces bolted to both ends of the car,

(No model.)

so as to extendout from the sides of the car, and mortiscd in front to receive the uprights L, y

and which pieces K carry the laying-arms M.

The front pieces are mortised to receive said the rails may be moved.

The laying-arms M are each formed of two pieces, so as to leave a space as wide as the driving-chain P, said space being filled its entire length at the top edge with the small wheels 12, which carry said chain and, incidentally, the ties. Atthe forward end of the arms M are the ragwheels Q, for carrying the chain. A strong bar, M,is extended out from the side of thearms to carry the rods or hogchains q. connecting with the top of the uprights L, and thus supporting the arms M at a proper distance from the ground when the ties are dumped out. The driving-chain]? is provided with the hooks 1;,so distanced as todrop the ties at proper intervals on the grading.

To each upright L is secured a flanged windlass and crank, R, and to the top thereof is secured a block and tackle, R, with enough rope r to go back the length of a car and a half. This is necessary, so that there may, if desired, be an extra car of rails behind the car to which the layer is attached, which then will carry the ties. The arms M are of suitable length to lay enough ties to receive a rail. Vhen the layer has been properly arranged, the flat car is loaded with ties and a few rails. Two men stand on the front end of the car and place the ties on the drive-chain P at the hooks p-that is to say, at their proper distance apart when on the ground-the locomotive pushes the construction car or cars, and as the train moves the ties are carried forward and dumped. Two men walk at the front -just inside of the leaf or walk, and on these end of the ties and adjust them,to prevent one end from dropping first. have been dropped to receive the rails, the men who place the ties on the carrier are assisted by those in front to connect the block and tackle by a chain to a rail and drag it, by means of the Windlass and block and tackle, to the front of the car, whence it is carried to its place by the blocks. The rails are dropped at suitable intervals, and the engine is again started to drop more ties and rails.

The spikers can work at the side of my construction-car or follow the locomotive. When the car-load is delivered, the drag-wheels are throwiroutof gear and the cars taken back for a new supply. The arms M and the uprights L can be detached when notin use;

What I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the car provided with support J and truck-w11eel shaft 0, of the pinions D D, spurwheelsF F, journaled in bearings hung from the middle floor-beams, I) Z), the shaft G, carrying pinions G G and When enough ties sprocket 0r rag wheels H H, the endless carrier-chain I, having the studs or hooks p, and the laying-arms M, connected to the supports J carrying the sprocket-wheels Q Q, as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the hinged laying-arms M, inclined from the front, of the car having the uprights L and the adjustable hogchains q, whereby the slacking or tightening of said chains brings the front ends of the laying-arms to the required distance from the grade and renders it unnecessary to lift the ties with the hands.

3. In a railroadtrack layer, the combination, with the floor B and the outer beams, b b, of the hinged arms 0 and planks O,to form a pathway for the workmen on each side of the truck, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' GEORGE MILLER \VEST.

W'itnesses:

E. S ROGERS, O. D. BURNHAM. 

